Tuesday night

Wow! Arlen Specter switched to the Democratic Party. Headline at TPM: "Specter To GOP: It's Not Me, It's You".

Had a busy day and a productive night. When I got home, I seasoned the sirloin tip roast and put it in the oven and tried to take a nap. Wasn't really tired, so I got up and went to the grocery store. I drove up to the larger Publix north of here to see if they carried the Kool-Aid Singles that you mix in a glass, since the smaller store didn't have them. It appears they've been discontinued. They make them only for 16.9 oz. plastic bottles of water (two servings per bottle). I object to buying plastic-bottled water for various reasons, but I bought some anyway. This Kool-Aid has 50% less sugar than regular and only 30 calories/serving (it has artificial sweeteners in addition to sugars). I bought grape (my favorite) and orange. I also bought other things but was able to make a quick exit through the express lane.

When I got home, the roast was done. So I let that stand and walked over to Starbucks for a tea. Chilling article in Harper's about all the murders in Mexico related to narco trafficking, based on an interview with one of the professional killers, who was also a policeman. Got home and steamed asparagus I'd been forgetting about -- it was well over a week old and just starting to go bad. (Couldn't let that go to waste.) I also marinated some cubed steaks in the wine marinade. Sliced some roast for work, topped off with home-made gravy I whisked up, and packed up the asparagus for work, topping with butter and fresh lemon juice while it was still steaming hot. Now I just have to clean out the cat boxes. (I'll do that when Chris Matthews comes on and I've taken the melatonin.) Tomorrow night I go to the gym, so I won't have any time for chores.

The roast, by the way, came out excellent. These sirloin tips are my favorites, and this was a pretty large one--3.25 lbs.--on sale.

Watching Rachel Maddow: Arlen Specter calls for rebellion and uprising within the Republican Party. Wow. Lincoln Chafee says the Republican Party is "not a viable national party." He's now running again as an Independent.

Lucky makes me laugh every day. If I didn't have him (and my job), I don't know what I'd do. I love Bootsy, too, but he reminds of B. being gone, since B. left him here.

I think I'm going to get Lady Gaga's new album. I haven't bought a new CD in years. (I haven't been this excited about a new pop music talent in years.) (And I used to hear all the latest music when I visited the local gay watering home, which closed a few years ago.) (I miss that exposure to pop music, not to mention my friends.)

Meanwhile, I haven't heard anything back from my old friend from my Montana days who tracked me down on Face Book. I hope I didn't offend her when I said I didn't believe in a "winner-take-all" society or that I couldn't fathom how a gay friend of mine can be a Republican, with all the hate they stand for (although I didn't say that).

It doesn't surprise me at all that Arlen Specter switched parties. He was always a moderate, and the Republican Party doesn't accommodate moderates any more. Meanwhile Obama has 61% approval rating.

Chris Matthews is on. Time to take melatonin and clean cat boxes.

P.S. I kind of thought B. would come to his senses and come back, but I don't think he is. The new guy has drugs.